Resilient sole element for footwear



Oct. 3, 1933. K. TUKI Er AL 1,929,126

RESILIEN'I.' SOLE ELEMENT FOR FOOTWEAR Filed March 9. 1932 f Z f///////////////////ll/// IN veN T0195 Patented Oct.. 3, 1933 PATENT;OFFICE@ nEsmIENr SOLE ELEMENT Fon FOOTWEAR Ken Tuki, Camperdown, nearSydney, and George Palmer, Sydney,.New South Wales, Australia ,YApplication March 9, 1932,` Serial No.` 597,834,

, Y and in' Australia May47`,'1931 3 claim.V .(Cl. A36-2s) Thisinvention relates to improvements in re-V silient combination sole andheel elements for footwear, asboots andshoes, and has for an essentialobjective the provision of such improvements as at .once ensure amaximum degree of comfort to the wearer, complete security to the weareragainst the ingress of moisture, and an insulation or protection Ato thewearer vagainst electric shock. .l

Resilient combination for footwear as hitherto known have not been ofsuch form and character as to ensure to the wearer the before-mentionedVdesiderata to that extent made possible .by a sole and heel elementaccording to the present invention which incor-n porates improved'cushioning means, a cavity.

heel formation in combination with such improved cushioning means, andan integrally formed continuous inwardly projecting upper securing edgein combination with such improved cushioning means and cavity heelformation.

An article according to the invention is of rubber or like waterproofmaterial. Its main body portion is formed as in a single mouldingoperation and its wearing faces are of such configuration as toeffectually prevent liability of slip upon wet or greasy pavements.

A combination sole and heel element according to the invention may bepermanently or detachably fitted. It may be fitted to and around thewelt of a boot or shoe to which the usual outer sole has not beenattached, but is preferably fit-v ted to and around the projecting weltportion or edge of the usual outer sole and will be herein so described.Y

A particular feature of the invention resides in the provision withinsuitable recesses or channels formed from the inner surface of the soleportion ofthe said combination sole and heel element, of a series ofinset open-ended tubes as of stout rubber or like resilient material.The said tubes are so arranged as to be adapted to function to maintainseparated one from the other the adjacent surfaces as of the usual outersole of the boot or shoe and the sole portion of thesaid combinationsole and heel element.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision, in acombination sole and heel element having a. sole portion as already setforth, of a heel portion which has above its tread cavities divided byone or more integral cross members or walls.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision in animproved resilient combination sole and heel element of the characterdesole and 'heele elements scribed, of an integrally formed continuous.inwardly projecting upper securing edge designed to slip over andengage with the projecting welt Vedgeof .the boot or shoe sole,` asuitablecementV being first applied if desired. Y

- VBut in order the moreV clearly to define the invention accordingtorone` form thereof reference will now be had to the accompanyingdrawing;

Like reference numerals .denote like'parts in. the several views ofthedrawing whichv are as followstf V Y* 'Y Figure 1 is a side elevationof a shoe to which the invention has been applied. l a Y Figure 2 is aperspective view of a combination sole and heel element according to theinvention,` a part being `shown broken away to moreclearlyillustrate thearrangement of tubes and recesses therefor.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line A-B of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a broken cross sectional view on the line C-D of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is av broken cross sectional view on lthe line E-F of Figure 1.

Figures 6 and '7 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views respectivelyillustrating inset tubes (a) when not under compression and (b) whenunder compression.

In the drawing, the shoe 8 has the usual outer sole 9 to and over theprojecting welt edge l0 of which latter is secured the integrally formedcontinuous inwardly projecting upper securing edge 11 of the combinationsole and heel element, a suitable water-proof cement being first appliedif desired.

The said securing edge 11 is moulded with an upper surface resemblingthat of a sewn leather Welt.

The said securing edge so applied to and around the said boot or shoesole serves to at once effectually seal from the exterior atmosphere thecavities of the said fitted improved resilient combination sole and heelelement.

Series of inset open-ended tubes 12 as of stout rubber or like resilientmaterial are snugly accommodated within recesses or channels 13 Wherethey are lightly cemented in position and where they function tomaintain separated one from the other the surface 14 of the sole 9 andthe surface 15 of the sole portion of the combination sole and heelelement.

The said open-ended tubes 12 have walls of suflicient thickness to offera requisite degree of resistance to compression when the wearer iswalking whilst yet being elastic to a desired degree and such degree ofresistance to compression ico acter although lightly cemented in therecesses or channels provided for-their accommodation. They the saidinset tubes and their associated recesses or channels preferably have acurvature substantially conforming toV and withthe shape or contour ofside and toe portions of thesole and are arranged in seriesequidistantly'and parallelly across the breadth of the sole s'that adesired cushioning effect and springy tread may besecured no matterwhich portion of the sole mayv be incontiguity with the ground surfacewhen ssrn-e is applied during the act of walking.

me heel portion 1s of the said'combination sole and heel element hasabove its tread 17 cavities l'rdivided by integral cross members orwalls I9,` It will be obvious that when the continuously formed'securingedgell has been applied to and over the projecting welt edge 10 oftheshoe sole 9 the lsaid cavities 18 are formed into sealed airfilledcompartments which bring about a desired cushioningcffect. n l" `IIfhewearingfi'ace vof the sole portion of the i combinationsle' "andheelelement is, according 35r to that rform of the'latter which has beenillustrated-byg-thedrawingherein, formed with longitudinally' disposedcurved ribs (see sectional` portion of broken-away part of Figure 2 andsee Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the drawing) the said curved ribs being theouter surfaces of the recesses or channels 13 and the material of whichthe said sole portion is composed being of the same thicknessthroughout. The recesses or channels 13 may alternativelyy however beformed in the thickness ofthe material whichimay be heavy or lightaccording to requirements.

The invention is found in practice to entirely fulfill in verysatisfactory manner its before-mentionedobjective, securing the desireddegree of comfort in wear and cushioning effect as well as securityagainst dump and against liability of 'slipping upon f wet or greasypavements and against electric shock.

What We do claimis: 1`. A sole'structure including an inner portion,

'an outer portion, one of said portions being provided with recesses onits face adjacent the other portion, and a series of tubes of resilientmaterial arranged in said recessesA and positioned between 3L A solestructure as claimed in claim 2,k

wherein the outer portion is depressed to provide the recesses, saiddepressionsformingfribsl on the outer surface of the sole.

KEN TUKI. Y

GEORGE PALMER.

lio

las

